Sulky hitch



April 20, 1954 H. J. STEGEMAN 2,676,032

SULKY HITCH Filed Feb. 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 4/ 9 4/ HENRY J STEBEMAN Jig. 2 BY 6 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, i954 NT OFFICE SULKY HKTCH Henry J. Stegeman, Fairfield, Conn, assignor to The Locke Steel Chain Company, Bridgeport, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application February 23, 1950, Serial No. 145,840

8 Claims. (01. 280-415) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a riding sulky for a power lawn mower or tractor or the like, and which sulky can be quickly and easily detached and replaced by a castor or other implement to support the rear end of the machine and vice versa.

I have provided an improved sulky structure for the purpose described and which includes improved means for attaching it to and detaching it from a power lawn mower or other form of tractor, an improved seat mounting structure, and certain other improvements providing for movements of the sulky relative to the power lawn mower or other tractor structure about both vertical and horizontal pivots.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a portion of a power driven lawn mower having a castor wheel mounted by parts providing for easy and quick dismounting of the castor wheel and for the mounting of a sulky on the motor;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View showing only the rearward portion of such lawn mower but showing my improved sulky attached thereto and replacing the castor wheel of Fig. 1, the near wheel of the sulky being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view taken as along the line 3--3 of Fig 2;

Fig. i is a detail front elevational view on a larger scale, of the hinge mounting of the sulky seat;

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken as along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken as along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional View, the view being taken as along the plane of the line l--? of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View as on the same plane Referring in detail to the present drawings, a power lawn mower is generally designated Hi and the same includes a frame I I upon which is carried a motor l2 which through means (not shown) drives ground engaging rolls (not shown) as well as other parts of the machine. The mower illustrated is of the type employing three cutting reels comprising a main forward reel (not shown) and side reels or cutter mechanism generally designated 13 and I4, respectively. The mower frame H includes a rearward extension i5 to be hereinafter further referred to. Addi tionally, the mower includes spaced rearwardly extending handles it between which extends a cross brace i1 rigidly supporting a depending tubular member 8. The handles I6 incline upwardly and rearwardly and at their rear ends are off-set downwardly providing hand grips i9. These parts form a very rigid structure preventing any twisting yield of the tubular member I8 when the sulky tongue 42 (to be described) is at an angle and when the driving torque of the motor has a tendency to raise or lower the frame extension I5, depending on the direction in which the power is applied. Since the details of construction of the actual mower elements of the mower l0 form no part of the present invention, further description of the details is believed unnecessary here.

The extension l5 of the mower frame H terminates in a structure generally designated 20 and comprising right-angularly related tubular portions 2! and 22. Of these, portion 2| is a vertically arranged bearing member and receives and restrains the lower end portion of the tubular member it, while portion 22 is located horizontally. A foot bar 23, also substantially horizontally arranged, extends through the tubular head-like portion 25 extending below and abutted,

by the lower ends of the housing portion 2| and the tubular member IS.

A screw 2! is threaded into housing portion 2| in radial relation thereto and has its inner unthreaded end portion 28 passing through registering openings in the lower portion of the tubular member l t and the sleeve or bushing 25 whereby the latter is secured in place against casual movement and the lower end of the member I8 is tied to the member as which is shown as rigid with the mower frame extension H5. The screw 2'! is conveniently provided with a grease fitting Ela.

When the mower is being used without a sulky, a castor generally designated. 2a is employed. Such caster includes a wheel 36 mounted between the arms of a fork structure 3| at the upper end of which is a head-like portion 32 rigidly mounting a pivot post iii of the construction of a pivot post 52 of the sulky and later to be described. The mentioned pivot post id is rigid with the fork frame 3i and it will be understood that the wheel 33 is rotatable on the axis 33 at the lower end of the fork. W hen the castor 28 is being used, the mentioned pivot post it is entered into the bushing 25 and is releasably held therein as will hereinafter fully appear.

My improved sulky is generally designated 34. This sulky includes a tubular shaft or axle 35 at its respective ends mounting ground engaging wheels 36 and 3?. Clamped on the axle 35 is a bracket member including an upwardly directed portion 38 and an integral horizontal forwardly directed portion 39 as well as a separate horizontal portion to for cooperation with said portion 39. This bracket structure is clamped on the shaft 35 upon the tightening of nuts applied to bolts ii passing through portions 35 and 48. These bolts also fasten to the axle housing a forwardly extending connecting member comprising a sulky tongue @2.

An angle bracket, generally designated i3, provides for relative movement between the sulky and mower about both vertical and horizontal axes, as will fully appear. This bracket includes a horizontal plate-like portion iii from which depends a pair of widely spaced hearings or tubular extensions 45 and it slidably and rotatably receiving the sulky tongue s2. Turning or retational movement between the tongue at and the bearing extensions s and 55 is about a horizontal axis and permits the sulky axle 35 to flex, independent of the mower axle, to compensate for uneven contour of the lawn or ground surface.

Between bearings 45 and M, a spacer bushing 47 is located and is fastened in the desired relation, lengthwise of the tongue 52, by a bolt 48. The spacer bushing Al takes the end thrust, forward and backward, and is shown having a plurality of holes or perforations 49; Through the selected one of these holes, the bolt 48 is passed to assemble the sulky in the desired relation to the mower whereby the distance between the sulky seat and the ioot'bar 23 is adjusted to suit various leg lengths of the operators. In this connection, it will be understood that the bolt ,8 has a fixed position lengthwise of the sulky tongue :12.

Bracket '53 also includes a forwardly extending upwardly directed arm 55 at its upper end mounting a split bearing 53 (see 5) the portions ,of which are clamped together on tightening of the bolts '52. Split bushing halves 53 and Mare fastened by headed elements 55 and 56 to the respective members of the split bearing 5 l. The tubular member it extends through this split bearing when the sulky (it is hitched to the mower i0, and this split bearing is a convenience in attaching and detaching the sulky.

The horizontal plate-like portion id of the bracket 43 is laterally enlarged (see particularly Fig. 7) in its forward portion and is divided or bifurcated being provided with a pair of arms 7 5i and 58. A stud 59 extends upwardly from the upper side of the arm 53 and this stud is shown as including reduced diameter pin-like portion 60 passing through said arm and at the underside thereof such portion is upset or headed as at El, whereby the stud is rigidly secured to the arm. Similarly, a stud 62 projects upwardly from the upper side of the arm 58 and has a re duced diameter lower end portion 53 passing through such arm and at the underside thereof upset or headed as at 64.

At its forward end and intermediate the arms 51 and 58, the portion 44 of bracket 53 is substantially thickened and strengthened as at 55 (see Fig. 6) and has a vertical opening 68 therethrough. A sulky pivot post 61 has its lower end portion 58 disposed in the opening t6 and then as by a cotter pin 69 or in any other suitable manner, this post is anchored to the bracket. Toward its upper end, but inwardly of such end, post 61 is provided with an annular groove 1i. This post 61, as to length-diameter, location of groove H, etc., is identical with the post it men tioned above as extending upwardly from the castor fork 31.

Post 6'! together with bearing 5i provides on the bracket 43 two widely spaced bearings in vertical alignment and which together provide a vertical pivot point or axisbetween the mower and sulky and along which the sulky angle bracket 43 is attached to the mower. The space between the lower bearing, i. e., post It and bushing 25 and the upper bearing 5! is sufficient to relieve the heavy torque strain when the driving power is applied either forward or reverse. When the sulky is turned at an angle this torque puts a twisting strain on the mower frame. This vertical pivot acts'as a fifth wheel or steering knuckle on any wheeled vehicle and holds the mower and sulky rigid longitudinally and yet permits of lateral flexing for steering. When steering to the extreme right or left the studs 59 and 62 will strike the frame extension [5 and prevent the mower and sulky from jackknifing when the mower is travelling in reverse.

When the sulky is attached to the mower it, the post 61 is within the sleeve or bushing 25 and the parts are related as in Fig. 6. At this time, a spring pressed locking bolt '52 (shown alone in Fig. 9) has its inner end portion entering the groove H of post 61. Groove H is defined in part by a straight upper shoulder '53 and the inner end portion of bolt 12 is milled or otherwise cut away on a pair of opposite sides providing it with flats M. A small diameter finger piece or crossbar 15 passes through and is rigid with the outer end portion of the bolt 12.

Clearly, locking bolt 12 is radially movable and at its outer-end is engaged by an end portion'of a presser member or bar 16 which bears against said outer end of the bolt. Through the other end of this presser member 15 passes an anchoring bolt l! and surrounding the latter is a coil spring 18 hearing at its inner end against the member and at its outer end against the underside of the head of the bolt. Thus, spring l8 acting on the presser member 16 is constantly urging the latter against the locking bolt 12 and thereby constantly urging the latter inwardly. as from the position of Fig. 8 to that of Fig. 6.

At this time, when the post 6'? is in the sleeve or bushing 25 and the bolt '52 is in its inner position with one of its flats M at the under side of the shoulder" of the post, the split bearing 5| is assembled about the vertical member it. Therefore, as the mower is driven, the sulky is drawn along with it. If it is desired to substitute the caster 29 for the sulky, the bearing is opened by removing bolts 52 and the bolt 12 is drawn radially outwardly to have its inner end clear the groove H in the post 61. Now the locking bolt 72 is turned until the finger piece 15 is in a vertical position, or a position at ninety degrees to its former position and its flattened end will rest on the full diameter portion of the pivot post El above the groove H in the latter. Locking bolt 72 is thus prevented from entering groove H of post 67. Then by raising upwardly or upward tilting of the rear portion of the mower, the post 61 is free to slide from the bushing or sleeve 25 as shown in Fig. 8.

With the sulky released, the spring 78 and pressure member 76 force the pin '52 into the member 2| until the finger pin 15 contacts part 2i whereupon pin 12 has reached the limit of its inward movement. The castor 29 may now be applied by raising the rear portion of the mower and inserting th post it of the castor into the sleeve 25. The top of the castor pivot post Hi being rounded or chamfered, on its coming into contact with the inner end portion of the bolt 12, the latter is cammed aside and forced outwardly until the post enters its bearing. Thereupon on the finger pin 75 being turned back to horizontal position the bolt 12 may again move inwardly to have its inner end partly enter the groove of said castor post and locks the castor in position.

From the above it will b understood that to remove the castor 29 from the mower it it is but necessary to shift the bolt 12 as from the position of Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 8 withdrawing the inner flattened end portion of the pin from under the shoulder of the groove of the post of the caster. As the bolt is withdrawn it is given the quarter turn above mentioned and then on elevating the rear portion of the mower to elevate the frame extension 15, the caster post may drop out of the bushing 25 separating the castor from the mower.

Now to again attach the sulky to the mower is a simple matter. For this purpose, the sulky is brought into place adjacent the mower and its split bearing 5! being open, that portion of the bearing integral or rigid with the arm 56 of the bracket 43 is brought against the rear side of the vertical tube 18 while the sulky pivot post 61 is inserted into the bushing or sleeve 25. As the post is inserted into the bushing 25, it will cam the bolt 12 outwardly and then on finger pin 75 being turned back to horizontal position, the spring is acting through the presser bar 76 moves the pin l2 inwardly to have it snap into the groove "ii. Thereafter, the other half of the split bearing 5! is secured in place and the sulky is properly attached to the mower.

In connection with this matter of inserting the post 67 into the bearing or bushing sleev 25, it is noted that the lower portion 68 of such post preferably has a loose lit in the opening 66 and is secured in place by a cotter pin 69. Therefore, the post 5'! is not absolutely rigid with the casting flange or plate-like portion 44 and may tilt or wobble a bit and it is not necessary to absolutely align the rigid tubular member I 8 and a straight rigid attaching post 61. This post being capable of wobbling or tilting slightly, it is easier to make the assembly.

In addition to the parts already described, sulky 3 3 includes a seat 89. This seat is shown as shaped up preferably of metal, although it may be of any desired material. As shown, the seat rests on the outer end portion 8! of an arm 82 and is secured against such portion by a bolt 83.

6. This arm 82 is bifurcated at its imier or lower end portion where it includes portions 84 and 85. Extending from these portions along the rear side of the arms are strengthening ribs 86. The portions 84 and 85 straddle a perforated ear-like portion 81 in the upper end portion of the bracket arm 38 and a pin 88 passes through the aligned perforations in the ear 8'! and the arm portions 851 and 85. This pin may have a tight fit in the ear 8'! or in the portions 84 and 85 or vice versa. However, the pin serves to pivotally or hingedly mount the arm 82 on the bracket arm 38. Bracket arm 33 includes a portion 89 extending above the ear 8! and at its upper end having a flat 9B.

When the seat 86 is in a position of use, the lower portions of the ribs 86 of arm 82 straddle the portion 89 of the bracket arm 38 and that portion of the arm 82 toward its lower end, but just above its bifurcation and between said ribs, bears against the flat 90 of the bracket arm extension 89 whereby the seat is rigidly supported. However, because of the pivotal connection above described, the seat is adapted to be swung as from a position of use as shown by th full lines in Figs. 2 and 3 forwardly to a position of non-use as to the broken line position of Fig. 2 wherein it rests against the angle bracket 43.

One purpose of this arrangement is to reduce the over-all length of the machine for shipping purposes or the like but a very important purpose of this arrangement is the convenience it gives in the use of the machine. For example, tipping the seat forwardly to its dotted line position in Fig. 2 gets the seat out of the way when the operator is walking behind the machine.

With the sulky attached and the mower in use, if the mower starts up a relatively steep incline it may be that the mower cannot draw the sulky with a rider thereon, the usual lawn mower seldom has sufficient traction for this purpose. Thus if the operators experience indicates that the mower cannot climb the incline with the rider on the sulky, the operator merely dismounts from the sulky seat and tilts the seatforwardly whereupon he may walk immediately in back of the sulky and still hold onto the hand grips i9 of the shafts H3. Also, with the seat tilted forwardly, the operator may stand on the axle 35 in case he does not care to resume his seat at once. Reaching the top of the incline, without stopping the machine the operator can flip the seat back into place and mount the sulky and continue to drive the machine over the lawn.

The cross bar 23 provides a foot rest and is, of course, used by the operator in steering the assembled mower and tractor. Steering is effected by applying pressure to the bar 23 through one foot or the other toward one end or the other of such bar.

A very short turn of the mower relative to the sulky which may cause the sulky wheels to contact the side cutting units is prevented owin to the presence of the studs 59 and t2 on the arms 5? and 58 of the plate-like portion M of the sulky. In an assembled structure (see, for example, Fig. 3) the studs 59 and 62 are located at opposite sides of the mower frame extension 15. Thus, on any attempt to make too sharp a turn, the portion is of the mower frame will engage either the stud 59 or the stud 52, depending on the direction of the attempted sharp turn. Thus, a very sharp turn of the mower relative to the sulky cannot be made andthe lateral spacing of the studs 59 and 62 limits any turn to one that may be safely made. Additionally, when steering to the extreme right or left, the studs 59 and 62 will strike the frame extension and prevent the mower and sulky from jackknifing when the mower is travelling in reverse.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a power lawn mower sulky hitch a frame having a rigid rearward extension carrying a structure at its rear end, said structure including a vertical pivot member, a vertical tubular member rigid with said frame and at its lower end entering said pivot member, a bushing in the lower end of said tubular member, an angle bracket comprising a rigid member including upper and lower portions, a pivot post on said lower portion and adapted to enter said bushing through the lower end of the latter and to have bearing therein, said upper portion comprising a split bearing to embrace an upper portion of said tubular member whereby said upper portion may be mounted on and dismounted from said tubular member by relative lateral movement when said split bearing is open, and mean for releasably securing said post against downward movement out of said bushing but yet permitting of turning of said post in said bushing.

2. In a power lawn mower sulky hitch a frame having a rearward extension having a rearward end portion provided with a vertical bearing opening, means on said extension for turnably and releasably securing a post therein, a sulky post turnably receivable in said bearing opening, said post shaped and constructed for cooperation with said means whereby to releasably secure said post in said bearing opening and thus to secure said sulky post to said frame, a rigid vertical member restrained at one end by said extension and concentric with said bearing opening, and a sulky bearing releasably engageable with said vertical member in vertically spaced relation to said bearing opening.

3. In a sullry hitch, a vertical bearing member open through its lower end, a sulky including a pivot post insertable into and removable from said bearing member through the open lower end of th latter, said post having a circumferentially extending groove therein, a locking bolt extending through a wall of said bearing member, a spring means normally urging said locking bolt to an inner position in which it is entering said groove and preventing movement of the post out of the bearing member while permitting of relative turning of the post and bearing member on a vertical axis, said locking bolt adapted to be drawn outwardly out of said groove against the tendency of said spring means to permit of movement of said post out of said bearing member through the open lower end thereof, said groove located intermediate the ends of said post, said locking bolt at its inner end I'iatted on its sides whereby it is of two diameters at said end with said diameters normal to one another and adapted across its lesser diameterto enter said groove and to be turned through approximately ninety degrees when drawn outwardly and released to have its full diameter portion engage the post portion about said groove and thereby be restrained from inward movement by said spring means.

4. The sullry hitch as in claim 3 wherein said spring means comprises a presser member, an anchoring bolt passing transversely through an end portion of said presser member and anchoring it to said bearing member, a spring about said bolt and bearing against said presser member, and said presser member hearing at its other end against the outer end of said locking bolt.

5. The sulky hitch as in claim 3 wherein said locking bolt has a finger piece rigid with the outer end portion thereof and extending from opposite sides thereof in parallel relation with one of said diameters.

6. The sulky hitch as in claim 3 wherein the free end portion of said post is chamfered to provide a cam-like portion to cam said locking bolt outwardly and permit of full entrance of said post into said bearing member as they move together when said locking bolt is in its inner position.

'7. In a sulky hitch, a forward frame member, a vertical bearing member rigid with the rearward end of said frame member, said frame member having side walls forwardly of said bearing member, a trailing device including a rigid forward portion, a post on said portion and insertable into and removable from said bearing member, means remcvably securing said post in said bearing member for relative turning of the post and bearing member on a vertical axis, said rigid forward portion of said device having a pair of spaced arms located laterally of the respective sides of said post and extending forwardly at the respective sides of said side walls of said frame member, and a stud on eachof said arms and located to engage the respective side walls of said frame member and limit relative turning of said post and bearing member in either direction about said vertical axis.

8. In a power lawn mower sulky hitch a frame having a rigid rearward extension carryin a structure at its rear end, said structure including a vertical pivot member, a tubular member rigid with said frame and at its lower end entering said pivot member, a bushing in the lower end of said tubular member, an angle bracket comprising a rigid member including upper and lower portions, a pivot post on said lower portion and adapted to enter said bushing through the lower end of the latterand to have bearing therein, rigid means on said lower portion and located laterally of each side of said pivot post and positioned to engage the respective sides of said rearward extension and thereby limit relative turning of said post and bearing member to prevent jackknifing of said frame and rigid member, said upper portion comprising a split bearing to embrace an upper portion of said tubular member whereby said upper portion may be mounted on and dismounted from said tubular member by relative lateral movement when said split bearing is open, and means for releasably securing said post against downward movement out of said bushing but yet permitting of turning of said post in said bushing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 816,269 StengeI Mar. 27, 1.906 1,543,304 Tomlinson June 23, 1925 1,680,236 Zimmerman Aug. Z, 1928 1,944,584 Stegeman. et al Jan. 23, 1934 2,144,806 Meagher et a1. Jan. 24, 1939 2,146,145 Huffman et 9.1. Feb. 7, 1939 2,354,576 Clark July 25, 1944 2,457,885 Gatclr"; Jan. 4, 1949 2,540,591 Nelson Feb. 5, 1951 

